DUBLIN: Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has praised the apparent victory in the abortion referendum as “the culmination of a quiet revolution” that has been unfolding in the past 10 to 20 years.
“The people have spoken,” said Varadkar, who campaigned for repealing Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortions. “The people have said that we want a modern constitution for a modern country, that we trust women and we respect them to make the right decision and the right choices about their health care.”
The prime minister, a medical doctor who came to power last year, spoke to RTE News in advance of the announcement of the referendum’s official results, expected later Saturday.
He said there appears to be “a greater than 2-to-1 majority in favor of amending our constitution.” He said that majority reigned among both men and women, almost all age groups and social classes, and perhaps every constituency in the country.
A leading campaigner for repealing Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortions says it’s a “monumental day for women in Ireland” after voters appeared to have overwhelmingly backed liberalizing the country’s strict abortion laws.
Orla O’Connor, co-director of the Together for Yes group, said Saturday: “This is about women taking their rightful place in Irish society, finally.”
Votes for Friday’s historic referendum are still being counted, but two exit polls predict a landslide victory for those who want to repeal the constitutional ban on abortions. A leading anti-abortion group admitted defeat Saturday.
O’Connor said the vote is a “rejection of an Ireland that treated women as second-class citizens. This is about women’s equality and this day brings massive change, monumental change for women in Ireland, and there is no going back.”
Ireland’s Minister for Children and Youth Affairs says she is grateful and emotional over with the apparent decision of voters to repeal the constitutional ban on abortions in Friday’s landmark referendum.
Katherine Zappone said Saturday she is confident new abortion legislation can be approved by parliament and put in place before the end of the year.
“I feel very emotional,” she said. “I’m especially grateful to the women of Ireland who came forward to provide their personal testimony about the hard times that they endured, the stress and the trauma that they experienced because of the eighth amendment.”
The eighth amendment requires authorities to treat a fetus and its mother as equals under the law, effectively banning abortions. Currently, terminations are only allowed when a woman’s life is at risk.
Exit polls predict overwhelming support for the repeal of the constitutional ban. Officials results are expected Saturday afternoon.
Anti-abortion group calls vote result ‘tragedy’: A leading anti-abortion group said Saturday that Ireland’s historic abortion referendum has resulted in a “tragedy of historic proportions,” admitting defeat as two exit polls predict an overwhelming victory for those seeking to overturn the country’s strict ban on terminations.
The projected result, not yet confirmed by an official count, was hailed by abortion rights activists as a major breakthrough in a largely Catholic nation that has already seen a wave of social liberalization in recent years.
“This is a monumental day for women in Ireland,” said Orla O’Connor, co-director of the Together for Yes group. “This is about women taking their rightful place in Irish society, finally.”
The vote is a “rejection of an Ireland that treated women as second-class citizens,” she said, adding: “This is about women’s equality and this day brings massive change, monumental change for women in Ireland, and there is no going back.”
Official counting for Friday’s referendum on whether or not to liberalize Ireland’s abortion laws was still under way, and results are not expected until Saturday afternoon.
But John McGuirk, spokesman for the Save the 8th group — which refers to the eighth amendment in the constitution which effectively bans terminations — told Irish television Saturday morning that many Irish citizens will not recognize the country they are waking up in.
“You can still passionately believe that the decision of the people is wrong, as I happen to do, and accept it,” said McGuirk. “I don’t think you’ll find many people on our side of the referendum who don’t accept the result. That would be wrong.”
The Irish Times and RTE television exit polls suggest the Irish people have voted by nearly 70 percent to repeal a 1983 constitutional amendment that requires authorities to treat a fetus and its mother as equals under the law. Currently, terminations are only allowed when a woman’s life is at risk.
